Page 41 of The Pretenders of Copper County
“Oh, don’t mind me.” Watt rocked back and forth on his heels. “I remember those days fondly. Just a couple more things before I get out of your hair. First… did Oak happen to mention that the campground has become a teen hangout?”
Reed frowned sharply. “No. In fact, he specifically said this place was private. Remote.”
“It is, which is why the kids like it.” Watt shrugged. “Don’t tell me you and your friends didn’t have a secret place where you’d drink beer and fuck around when you were a kid.”
Reed grunted and shrugged, conceding the point. I nodded sagely, too, though if the kids back in New Jersey had a secret place, I hadn’t known it.
“Most of ’em are good kids,” Watt went on. “They’ll leave if you remind them they’re trespassing. And aside from swimming and drinking, they don’t cause any trouble… although someone did tag a couple of the cabins with graffiti last spring.” He pointed toward the little sheds, which I now saw had miniature windows and chimneys, like tiny houses. “Derry won’t tell me who it was, though. The little shit’s all, ‘Dad, I’m nearly seventeen. I have it under control.’” Watt’s tone was wry but affectionate. “Anyway, if things ever do get out of hand, you can call the cops, and someone will do a drive-by.”
“No worries. We can totally handle it,” I assured him.
Reed shot me a look. “Ican handle it,” he corrected.
I tried not to roll my eyes.
“Apologies it’s not in better shape and that I don’t have more to offer besides the small stipend. Unfortunately, the next of kin is a selfish jackass out in California who can’t be bothered to show up.” He exhaled and pressed his lips together. “But the less said about Jasper Wrigley, the better.”
“Aw. That’s too bad.” My mouth twisted in sympathy. “I mean, too bad for her, obviously. My uncle Danny says family is the most important thing in the world. But don’t worry, Watt. You can take our stipend and put it toward renovation costs. I’m happy to do it for free.”
“You are?” Watt said.
“You are?” Reed lifted an eyebrow.
“Yes, of course,” I said. “Fixing this place up will be its own reward.”
Reed glanced around the majestic clearing, but I got the feeling he wasn’t seeing all the potential I saw. The next words out of his mouth confirmed this. “I appreciate you hooking us up with a place to stay, Watt, but this is a bit more work than I imagined. We’ll need supplies and tools and whatnot.”
Watt nodded. “I’ll tell Hen Lattimer at the hardware store youcan charge stuff to my account.”
“We can do it,” I assured Watt, laying a comforting hand on his forearm. “I’mveryhandy.”
“You are?” Watt asked, pleased.
“You are?” Reed repeated. His eyes narrowed warningly on the spot where my hand touched Watt… which, honestly, was ridiculous. Did he think Watt posed a danger? Because, if so, he was not only bossy but delusional.
“I am.” I lifted my chin. “I am a very competent individual, Reed.”
Watt rubbed his lips together like he was fighting a grin. “Do what you can,” he repeated. “I’m sure you there’ll be plentyinsidethe caretaker cabin to keep you occupied. We’ve done as much as we can to make it comfortable, including bringing in a new mattress.” He gave us another one of those winks I didn’t understand. “I was newly married once, too.”
“I’m sure the cabin’s adorable,” I agreed, “but I won’t want to be inside much when I could be exploring the lake and the woods and the…” I stopped and stared at Watt. “P-pardon, did you say…married?”
I glanced at Reed, but his body had frozen unnaturally still, and his expression gave nothing away.
“Yeah, I was married.” Watt ran a calloused hand over his beard. “Don’t look so surprised. I’m a lot like the campground, okay? I need a little work, but I used to be pretty.”
“What? N-no, you’re very handsome, Watt,” I assured him. “Very.” He really was, especially with his hands tucked in his pockets like they were then, which showed off the corded forearms peeking out from the sleeves of his rolled-up Henley. I shook my head.Not the point, Chris.“But you saidmarriedlike you thought… as though Reed and I were…”
Watt looked back and forth between us, a puckerbetween his eyebrows. “Oak’s message said, ‘The Sundays are newlyweds looking for a place to spend their honeymoon.’ Did he get it wrong?”
“Oh. Ha. Yes. That’s not, um—” I broke off with aneepas Reed wrapped his big arm around my waist and hauled me against him with a little jiggle that clearly meantbe quiet.
“Sweetie. There’s no need to keep it to ourselves,” he said. “Since Oak’s clearly told Watt the whole story.”
Sweetie?
Wait… what whole story?
“Uh.” I glanced up at Reed. “When you saythe whole story, you mean…”
